Paper stapling



A. D. MCDONALD ETAL 3,393,850

PAPER STAPLING 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 24, 1966 ll ll'llllll'lllilll ll y 1968 A. D. M DONALD ETAL 3,393,850

PAPER STAPLING Filed Jan. 24, 1966 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 9 INVENTOIU ATTORNEYS July 23, 1968 A. o. M DONALD EITAL 3,393,850

PAPER STAPLING Filed Jan. 24, 1966 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTORS ATTORNEYS y 1968 A. D. MCDONALD ETAL 3,393,850

PAPER STAPLING Filed Jan. 24, 1966 5 t 5 t 4 l vh I.

July 23, 1968 D. MCDONALD ETAL 3,393,850

PAPER STAPLING 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Jan. 24, 1966 INVENTOR5 d .7. Ya flwwzid d flarra BY $6 1 %IL- ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,393,850 PAPER STAPLING Arthur D. McDonald and Jimmie A. Harrod, Middleport,

N.Y., assignors to Moore Business Forms, Inc., Niagara Falls, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Filed Jan. 24, 1966, Ser. No. 522,529 13 Claims. (Cl. 227-14) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This disclosure relates to apparatus and methods for punching openings in the multi-layer forms and the insertion of stapling elements through previously formed packs. Stapling material in the form of tape is fed by means of a hollow needle or other similar guide means which passes a length of such tape through the previously formed hole in the forms. The tape is severed into a desired length and the protruding ends bent over and adhesively secured to the opposite surfaces of the multilayer forms.

This invention relates to the interconnection of the layers or laminations of sheet material in a pack of such material and more particularly to the stapling of paper manifolding assemblies or the like.

The general object of the invention is the provision of apparatus and methods for punching openings in such multiple sheet packs, either in separate unit or continuous web form, and applying stapling means to such packs through said openings.

Although not limited thereto, the principles of the present invention may be found useful in the application of connecting means such as that illustrated at 21b in FIGURE 7 of the drawings of United States Letters Patent 2,046,544 to Bovier.

Thus, it may be said that in its preferred embodiments, the invention contemplates the provision of machines and methods of operation by which holes may be punched in a pack or web of multiple forms and then a strip of connecting material inserted through each of the holes thus formed and protruding ends secured to the surfaces of the pack at the margins of said hole.

It is preferred that the connecting or stapling material be of paper or sheet material of similar consistency and that the strips of material be coated with a suitable adhesive, the adhesive in the best embodiment of the invention being of the thermal setting nature.

Among the features of novelty of the invention is the simultaneous punching in a sheet or web of multi-layer forms of one hole and insertion of a stapling element through a previously formed hole. Also, the feeding of the stapling material in the form of tape is preferably accomplished from a reel or other supply of such material by means of a hollow needle or other similar guide means, which passes a length of such tape through the previously formed hole in the forms. Then the tape is severed into the desired section and the protruding ends bent over and adhesively secured to the opposite surfaces of the pack of forms.

Means are also provided for conforming the punching and stapling portions of the mechanism to either a continual or an intermittent feeding of a continuous web of multiple forms; the former situation requiring an advancing movement of the punching and stapling units in strict accordance with the forward speed of the web feed, during which the punching and stapling is accomplished, and a return movement of the units at speeds regulated to cause the stapling unit to register with the hole punched in the preceding operation.

Other objects and features of novelty including the provision of cooperating details of staple strip feeding, cutting, and heating, will be apparent from the following specification when read in connection with the accompanying drawings in which one embodiment of the invention is illustrated by way of example.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a view in side elevation of a machine embodying the principles of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a view in vertical section taken on line 2-2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a similar view taken on line 33 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a top plan view of the machine;

FIGURE 5 is a view in side elevation and on an enlarged scale, of a portion of the staple applying unit of the mechanism; the positions of the parts being such as they would appear when the appropriate length of stapling material has been projected but before the cut ting and folding elements have operated;

FIGURE 5A is a somewhat diagrammatic fragmentary view of the severing and folding elements of the stapling mechanism in their final operative positions for effecting the crimping of the staple;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 66 of FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 7 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line 7-7 of FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 8 is an exploded view in perspective of the elements of the severing and securing means of the stapling unit; and

FIGURES 9, 10, 11, and 12 are fragmentary diagrammatic views in vertical section showing the successive steps in inserting, severing, and securing the staple to the pack or web of multiple sheets.

Basically, the novel apparatus comprises a vertically disposed substantially rectangular supporting frame 10 upon which is carried for horizontal reciprocating movement the die plate 12, this die plate being mounted upon a horizontal slide 15 which is movable relative to the slide guide member 16, the slide guide being bolted and doweled to the main frame 10 as suggested at 17 and 18, a spacer block 19 being interposed to properly position the sliding parts with relation to the main frame and the various parts of the driving mechanism.

The attachment of the die plate 12 to the slide 15 and the mounting of the slide 15 upon the guide 16 are clearly shown in FIGURES 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings. The die plate 12 may be bolted or otherwise secured to the slide 15 and the anti-friction mounting of the slide 15 on the guide 16 is effected by means of the vertically pivoted rollers 20 and 21 and the horizontally pivoted roller 22, these rollers working in grooves 23, 24 and 25 formed in the guide 16.

It will be noted particularly from FIGURE 2 of the drawings that the slide 15 is provided with horizontal flanges embracing the guide 16 and an outwardly projecting flange 26 forming a ledge underlying the die portions of the die plate 12.

The first of these operative instrumentalities or units comprises the punch and die arrangement shown most clearly in FIGURES 1 and 2. Fitted within a shouldered bore 30 in the die plate 12 is a tubular hardened die element 31 having a punch receiving opening 32 in the upper portion thereof which lies flush with the top surface of the plate 12. Positioned at another station a predetermined distance along the die plate 12 from the station of the punching die 31 is an operative assembly to which is given the general reference character 35 and which comprises the unit for receiving and operating upon the staple material while is passed through an opening in the sheets formed in the punching station. These features will be described later in connection with the intermittent staple feed provisions.

Mounted for horizontal movement along with the die plate 12 but for relative vertical movement with respect thereto is the punch plate or holder 40. Fixed to and extending vertically from the die plate 12 are the guide posts 41 which are closely fitted to reciprocate in the openings 42 formed in bushings 42 in the punch plate 40. In the left-hand portion of the punch plate 40 there is rigidly mounted the punch element 45 which in this embodiment is oblong in horizontal cross section and fits closely within the die opening 32 of the punch die element 31 as clearly shown in FIGURE 2 of the drawings.

At the opposite end portion of the punch plate 40 there is mounted mechanism 50 for feeding the staple forming material to the staple severing and securing means indicated generally at 35. All of this stapling mechanism will be described in detail presently. Thus, in effect, the plate 40 and its supported device may be thought of as a gang punching and stapling assembly.

It will be understood that the edges of the sheets or webs which are to be stapled together are fed horizontally from left to right across the top surface of the shelf comprising the die plate 12, the edge of the sheet or web W being suggested in a general way in FIGURE 4. The means for feeding the sheet are not shown and any suitable or known devices for this purpose may be employed. As previously suggested, the feed could be intermittent or continuous, and the drive for the novel punching and stapling devices is arranged accordingly.

In order to accommodate the horizontal reciprocating movement of the devices to the feed of the sheet or web, an input gear 55 is driven by means synchronized with the sheet feed. This gear is mounted on the shaft 56 which is rotatable in the side frame and in the outboard bearing plate 58, shown in FIGURE 4 of the drawings. Upon the inner end of the shaft 56 is carried the cam member 60 formed with the cam groove or slot 61 in which the cam follower roller 62 travels, this roller being rotatable on the axis 63 carried upon the end of the car 65 which extends from the left-hand end of the die plate 12. The cam groove 61 is so shaped as to give the die plate 12 and all of the associated punching and stapling mechanism a rate of travel in the forward or left to right direction in accordance with the feed of the sheets and then a return movement from right to left regulated in accordance with the spacing of the punching and stapling stations.

An idler gear 67 is supported upon a stud axle 68 from the main frame 10 and meshes with the gear 55.

A third gear 70, meshing with the idler 67, is carried upon a shaft 71 mounted in the frame 10 and in the outboard bearing support 72, and this shaft or axle 71 extends through the frame 10 and carries upon its inner end the circular cam plate 74 in which is formed a cam groove 75. The purpose of this cam arrangement is to effect the vertically reciprocating movement of the punch plate with respect to the die plate 12 and at the same time accommodate the horizontal reciprocating movement of both of these assemblies. For this purpose there is provided a vertical slide actuator block 80 rigidly connected to the punch plate 40 as by means of the screws or bolts 81. Operatively associated with the part 80 is the vertical slide 82 which is guided in slots within the spaced vertical guide pieces or gibs 83 fixed to the main frame 10. An embossment 84 projects from the vertical slide 82 and carries two cam follower rollers, one designated 85 and the other 86. The roller 85 tracks in the groove or slot 75 of the cam 74 and the roller 86 reciprocates appropriately in the slot 87 cut in the block 80.

Needless to say, the configuration of the cam groove 75 of the vertical slide operating mechanism is conformed in relation to the shape of the cam slot 61 in the cam 60 so as to effect the operative reciprocation of the punch and stapling devices during the travel of these parts along with the feed of the sheet, and the retractive movement at the end of such travel.

The gear 70 meshes with an idler gear 89 which in turn meshes with the gear 90 which serves as the driving instrumentality for the operation of the stapling devices. The gear 90 is mounted upon a shaft 91 which in turn is rotatably mounted in the side frame 10 and the outboard bearing support plate 92. The inner end of the axle or shaft 91 is formed as a cam disc or plate 94 in which the cam groove 95 is cut. Since this cam arrangement has to do specifically with the various operations of the staple feeding, severing and securing devices, the details of these mechanisms will first be described in detail and then connected up with the operating cam.

Referring now more particularly to the right-hand portion of FIGURE 1 and to FIGURES 3-12 inclusive, the stapling devices will be described and their operation explained. Vertical brackets project upwardly from the punch plate 40 to support certain portions of the feeding devices for the tape from which the staples are made. The longer of these brackets indicated at has its lower end secured to an inner portion of the vertically reciprocating punch plate 40 and at its upper end carries an axle 101 which serves to support the tape supply reel 102. A wing nut 103 secures the parts together, and a light coil spring 101 applies a slight yieldable braking drag on the tape feed.

Appropriately secured to the forward face of the plate 40 as at 104 is the bracket plate 105. Openings are provided in this plate for the support of certain feed wheels or rolls for feeding the tape off of the reel 102. The first of these openings receives a stub shaft 107 upon which is carried the rubber-covered pressure roll 108. Near the opposite end of the bracket is mounted a shaft 109 upon which is carried a tape guiding roll 110.

At an intermediate point on the bracket 105 and in the lower portion of the oppositely disposed bracket 100 are openings designed to receive the shaft 114 of a grooved tape carrying roll or pulley 115. Between the shaft 114 and the pulley rim 115 there is disposed a one-way or ratcheting friction clutch feed which may be of any known type and which is given only the general reference designation 116. Upon the innermost end of the shaft 114 is disposed the crank arm 118 which carries upon its end the cam follower roller 119 which is arranged to work in a horizontal slot 120 in the tape feed actuator slide block 121.

The actuator slide block 121 is secured to and extends inwardly from the fixed main frame member 10 and is therefore maintained in fixed stationary position.

It should be recalled that the supports and feeding means including the clutch driven feed roll 115 are mounted on the vertically reciprocating punch plate 40 and thus partake of this vertical movement. Thus, the crank arm 118 due to the engagement of its follower wheel 115 with the slot 120 in the guide 121 will oscillate and alternately drive and be retracted in relation to the feed roll 115.

It should also be noted that the mounting portion of the supporting shaft 107 of the presser roll 108 is eccentric in the bracket 105 such that by a suitable rotative adjustment of the axle or shaft 107 this back-up roll 108 may be applied to the tape fed between the roll 115 and the roll 108 with the desired degree of pressure to effectively feed the staple forming tape. When adjusted, the roll may be locked in position to afford the proper degree of pressure by tightening the nut 107'.

As clearly depicted in FIGURES 1 and 5 the tape T from which the staples are formed is unwound from the reel 102 preferably against a certain small degree of frictional resistance afforded by the spring 101', and then passes around the right-hand guide roll and then upwardly around the driven or actuated feed roll and pinched between that roll and the adjustable back-up or pressure roll 108.

Rigidly mounted 1n the punch plate or block 40 is the tubular tape injector or needle 125 having the bore 126 which is preferably flattened somewhat to better guide the fiat staple-forming tape. The upper end of the needle 125 is tapered in arcuate fashion to fit snugly between the rolls 108 and 115 without actually contacting them and the tape is fed into the entrance of the tubular bore 126 at this point.

The lower end 127 of the needle is attenuated so as to be able to enter the zone of the severing and applying device 35, the operative details of which will now be described.

The assembly 35 consists essentially of an insulated housing 150 made of any suitable non-conducting plastic or cementitious material, such as, for example, Transite, which is a hard-pressed board material made of asbestos and portland cement. This housing is of roughly rectilinear configuration and is secured to the end of the die plate 12 as by means of bolts 151. The insulation block 150 has a horizontal bore 152 which does not extend all the way through the upper portion of the block, the lower half segment of the bore 152 being blocked by an upper flange or projection 154 which has an upper surface conforming to the level of the upper surface of the die block or plate 12 along which the strip or web W of manifold or other material is fed, the housing 150 also being slit as at 154. This positioning is clearly shown in FIGURES 1 and 3 of the drawings.

Fixed within the bore 152 of the insulating block 156 is the cut-off bushing 155, the intermediate portion 156 of which is of somewhat smaller diameter to accommodate the wrapping of the heater coil 158. This heater coil is of the well-known Nichrome wire formation and the terminals may be led off through the insulated block 150 to proper connections with a source of electrical current in the usual fashion. One preferred way of mounting the Nichrome wire is to wind it around a thin base layer of glass tape and bake on suitable insulation between the coils of wire.

Inserted within the cut-off bushing 155 for rotative oscillation is the knife member 160, this member being of tubular construction and having a cutting quadrant portion 161 at its outer end, and a crank arm 162 at its inner end, which crank arm carries a follower roller 164 operating in a slot between the hardened track inserts 165 and 166 carried within a notch cut in the lower portion of the vertical slide member 174 This slide member is guided for vertical movement between the spaced vertically extending guide strips or gips 172 fixed to the inner face of the main frame plate The vertical slide 170 is somewhat convergent near its upper end and is provided with a bore 173 'and a split clamp portion 174 adapted to grip the sleeve 175 which carries the axle of the follower roller 176 which runs in the cam slot 95 of the cam plate 94 already described.

It should be noted here that the sleeve 175 is bored eccentrically to accept the axle of the follower roller 176. Rotation of the sleeve 175 within the bore 173- of the clamp portion 174 varies the relative vertical center distance between the roller 176 and the actuator slot formed by the hardened inserts 165 and 166. This in turn varies the extent of downward travel of the vertical slide 170, thus limiting the arc of rotation of both the cutting tip 161 and the crimper tip 181, thereby providing a means for adjusting crimping pressure and provisions for varying lamination thickness.

Returning now to the severing and stapling mechanism 35 there is provided an inner rotative element 180 which may be designated a crimper for bending and pressure-applying the staple to the paper web. This member is shaped as clearly shown in FIGURE 8 of the drawings and provided with a quadrant-shaped operative head member 181 which fits within the bore of the bushing 155 and substantially coextensive with the knife blade 161 of the knife member 160. The body or shank portion of the crimper member 180 extends snugly and rotatably through the hollow center of the knife member and upon its outer end just beyond the positioning of the crank 162 of the cutter 160 is provided with a crank 182 which carries upon its outer end the follower roller 185. This roller 185 also travels within the slot between the hardened insert members and 166 in the same way that the follower roller 164 of the cutter 160 operates. However, the cranks 162 and 182 extend in divergent directions so that upon vertical movement of the slide the cranks through their follower rollers 164 and will serve to oscillate the knife member 160 and the crimper member 180 in opposite directions.

Now referring specifically to FIGURES 3, 5, 5A and 8, it will be seen that the forward operative end of the fixed bushing 155 is provided with a number of radially extending slots, a pair of aligned horizontal slots and 191 which correspond with the path of the web to be stapled, and a vertical very slightly divergent slot 192 in its upper sector. Also, just above the bushing slot 192 the upwardly extending portion of the insulator block 151) is provided with a tapering slot 195. As shown in FIGURES 3 and 5, these vertical slots 192 and 195 accommodate the movement of the tape injector or needle 127. It will be seen that the cutting tip 161 of the cutter 160 and the crimper tip 181 of the crimper member 180 oscillate snugly within the bore 156.

The cooperation of the feed of the tape and the severing and crimping elements will now be described. Upon the descent of the punch block 40 the tape injector. 127 and all of the tape feed devices also descend. During this movement the tape is barely protruding from the injector and there is no relative movement. It may be interjected at this point that the feed of the tape through the needle or injector 127 to measure the extent of the projection T is accomplished upon the retracting or upward stroke of the punch carrier 40 and the tape dispensing means. This causes the crank arm 118 of the oneway feeding clutch device 116 to rotate the clutch in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in FIGURE 5 in which direction the clutch is operative to rotate the tape feed roll 115 in the feeding direction, and by the time the tape dispensing parts have reached the upper limit of the movement the tape has been fed to the distance T through the injector. The severance and application of the projecting tape comprising the staple now takes place. Then during the next downward movement of the dispensing parts the crank 118 will idle with no further feed of the tape and the needle 127 will arrive at the lowermost position shown in FIGURE 9. Then upon retraction the tape is fed through the injector at substantially the same rate as the injector is retracted, and the projecting portion T of the tape is in position for application.

Now with the tip of the tape T in the upper position shown in FIGURES 5 and 10, the cam 94 will cause the vertical slide 170 to descend and the follower rollers 164 and 185 of the knife and crimper devices respectively will cause the crank 162 of the cutter to rotate the cutter blade 161 in a counterclockwise direction and the crank 182 of the crimper will cause the crimper tip 181 to rotate in a clockwise direction. Thus it will be clearly seen from FIGURES 5 and 5A that the cutter segment 1 61 will sever the projecting portion T of the tape between the cutting edge 200 of the blade 161 and the cooperating shear edge 201 of the split end of the bushing 155 at one side of the vertical entrance slot in that bushing which has been designated 192.

Further movement after actual severance of the .tape end will cause the squared forward surface of the rotating cutter blade 161 to fold the upper protruding portion of the strip T down upon the upper surface of the web adjacent the hole therein and simultaneously the crimper blade 181 will rotate in a clockwise direction and fold the downwardly protruding portion of the portion T up against the bottom surface of the web adjacent the and-die unit and said staple-applying unit to provide a hole in the multiple sheets for simultaneously inserting a staple through a previously formed hole therein, said frame including a shelf serving as said sheet supporting means and also serving to provide a support for a punching-die station and a stapling-die station, said stations being spaced apart a predetermined distance along said shelf, said operating units also including a gang punching and staple-feeding assembly disposed parallel to said shelf on the opposite side of the sheets from the latter, means for reciprocating said assembly with respect to said shelf, a punch on said assembly disposed to cooperate with the die station on said shelf to punch a hole through the multiple sheets, a staple-feeding device on said assembly adapted to cooperate with said stapling-die station to receive and secure staples through the hole previously punched by said cooperating punch-and-die means, said staple feeding device of the staple-applying unit comprising injector means for exposing and inserting through the hole in said multiple sheets within said stapling-die station a length of staple-forming tape with ends protruding from both surfaces of said multiple sheets, said staple-forming tape having adhesive thereon, said stapling-die station comprising severing means operable to cut said exposed length from said tape and bend one protruding end portion of said length against one surface of said multiple sheets, means to render said tape length adhesive, and crimping means operative to bend the other protruding end portion of said length against the opposite surface of the sheets.

5. The device as set forth in claim 4 in which said staple feeding device comprises a tape supply, a feeding element, an oscillating actuator for said feeding element operable by the reciprocation of said gang assembly, a one-way ratcheting device between said actuator and said feeding element whereby the tape is moved through the injector and exposed during the retracting movement of the gang assembly and injector, and the exposed length inserted through the hole without relative movement between the tape and injector upon downward operative movement of said gang assembly and injector; and in which said severing means and said crimping means are mounted for concentric rotary movement in opposite di rections to sever and crimp the staple length.

6. A device for securing multiple overlapped sheets together, said device comprising a frame, means on said frame for supporting said multiple sheets, means reciprocatable to and from said supporting means and carrying a feeding and injector device for passing staple-forming material through said multiple sheets, cooperating means carried by said supporting means for severing a length of said material with ends protruding from both surfaces of said multiple sheets and for bending both ends of said severed length over against said surfaces; and operatively connected means for driving said material feeding and injector device and said severing andbending means in timed sequence.

7. The device as set forth in claim 6 in which said feeding and injector device comprises an injector member in the form of a tubular guide and a feeding member having a one-way ratchet-like drive, and means actuated by reciprocating movement of said reciprocatable means in the retractive direction away from said sheets to operate the ratchet-like drive to feed a length of material along said guide, and to move said ratchet-like drive idly upon operative injector movement of said reciprocating means toward said sheets.

8. The device as set forth in claim 6 in which said cooperating means comprises a rotary shear device adapted to sever the said length of material and by continuing movement in the same direction to crimp the just severed protruding end portion against one surface of the sheets, and a rotary crimper member adapted to crimp the oppositely protruding end of said length against the other surface of said sheets.

9. The device as set forth in claim 8 in which said rotary shear device and said rotary crimper member are coaxially mounted and means are provided for rotating them in opposite directions.

10. The device as set forth in claim 9 in which the material is coated with a thermal-activated adhesive, and means are provided for applying heat to said severing and crimping means to activate the adhesive to firmly staple the multiple sheets together.

11. The device as set forth in claim 6 in which said feeding and injector device comprises an injector member in the form of a tubular guide and a feeding member having a one-way ratchet-like drive, and means actuated by reciprocating movement of said reciprocatable means in the retractive direction away from said sheets to operate the ratchet-like drive to feed a length of material along said guide and to move said ratchet-like drive idly upon operative injector movement of said reciprocating means toward said sheets; and further in which said cooperating means comprises a rotary shear device adapted to sever the said length of material and by continuing movement in the same direction to crimp the just severed protruding end portion against one surface of the sheets, and a rotary crimper member adapted to crimp the oppositely protruding end of said length against the other surface of said sheets.

12. The device as set forth in claim 7 in which said material is in the form of tape and said feeding means comprises a feed roll and a cooperating backing-up roll, and said ratchet-like device comprises a one-way clutch operatively connected with the axle of said feed roll and actuated by a crank one end of which is restrained by a stationary portion of said frame during the reciprocating movement of the reciprocatable member.

13. The method of stapling multiple overlapping sheets which comprises injecting a staple-forming material having an adhesive substance thereon through said sheets, severing a length of the material therefrom so that end portions of said length protrude from each surface of said sheets, crimping the end portion just severed over against one surface of said sheets and crimping the opposite end portion of said length over against the opposite surface, and heating said end portions to adhesively adhere the end portions to said respective surfaces.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,588,443 6/ 1926 Burger 227l4 1,889,194 11/1932 Eastman 227l4 2,534,360 12/ 1950 Loverch 227-67 XR 1,005,920 10/1911 Ambler 227-67 XR 215,505 5/1879 Carr et al 277-8O 451,062 4/1891 Merritt 277 X 507,472 10/ 1893 Bateman 227-74 2,171,388 8/1939 Berger 227-80 X TRAVIS S. MCGEHEE, Primary Examiner. 

